NDLEA uncovers forest meth lab, arrests Mexican, four Nigerians

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a large-scale methamphetamine production facility concealed in a forest in Oyo state, arresting a Mexican national and four Nigerian suspects linked to the operation.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), the NDLEA Chairman, described the raid as a major breakthrough against an international drug syndicate operating within the country.

According to him, operatives acting on credible intelligence stormed the clandestine laboratory located in Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area, on June 17.

“Today, we are proud to announce that our operatives, acting on zero-sharp, credible intelligence, have struck another decisive blow deeper into the heart of yet another cartel,” Marwa said.

He identified the suspects as Mexican national Jose Villa Ochoa, 56, and four Nigerians — Maxwell Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43.

Marwa said the presence of a foreign methamphetamine specialist highlighted the transnational nature of the drug network.

“The arrest of a foreign cartel specialist on Nigerian soil underscores the transnational nature of this threat, but more importantly, it underscores our agency’s world-class intelligence capability to track, intercept and neutralise them,” he stated.

The NDLEA boss disclosed that operatives recovered large quantities of precursor chemicals, industrial catalysts and sophisticated processing equipment used in methamphetamine production.

Among the items seized were drums containing phenylacetic acid, sulphuric acid, caustic soda, methamphetamine crystals and other chemical substances, alongside reactor pots, distillation units and drying machines.

He said preliminary forensic tests confirmed the recovered crystal substances were methamphetamine.

“Samples of the finished crystals recovered yielded a definitive positive result for methamphetamine,” Marwa added.

The agency noted that the discovery came barely a month after another industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory was dismantled in Ogun state, raising concerns over attempts by drug cartels to establish production hubs in the South-West.

Marwa warned traffickers and manufacturers against using Nigeria as a base for illicit drug operations.

“Let the message go out clearly to all drug cartels, domestic and international, that Nigeria is not and will never be a safe haven for your illicit trade.

“We will find you in the cities, we will track you into the forests, and we will dismantle your infrastructure of death.”

He commended officers involved in the operation and thanked members of the public whose intelligence contributed to the successful raid.